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Are The Florida Panthers In Danger Of A Playoff Upset?

Florida Panthers' bench (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The Florida Panthers have earned their reputation as one of the NHL’s best teams, getting to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in each of the past three seasons, making it to the Cup final in each of the past two seasons, and of course, winning their first Cup in franchise history last season. And for much of this year, the Panthers have been at or near the top of the Atlantic Division. Obviously, there’s a whole lot to like about this Florida team.

That said, there are some worrisome aspects of the Panthers this year. On Sunday, we saw one of them, as they lost to the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 to fall to third place in the Atlantic. Florida is now 0-3-0 against the Habs this year – and this is a Montreal team that the Panthers could wind up facing in the first round of the playoffs this year if Florida wins the Atlantic and the Canadiens remain in a wild-card spot.

In addition, scratch the surface a bit, and you’ll find other data that suggests the Panthers might be ripe for an early-round upset. For one thing, Florida has got five standings points via shootout wins this season. If you acknowledge that shootout wins can easily be shootout losses half the time, the Panthers’ current point total could be at or near 88 points, which is very close to the fourth-place Ottawa Senators.

To be sure, we’re not here to tell you the Panthers are a lock to be sent packing in the first or second round. They’ve made some great additions via trade this season, and they were a deep and skilled group before those trades were made. But with only a couple weeks left in the regular season, there’s an increasing sense that Florida has squandered its chance to win the Atlantic. And that may be what sinks their season well in advance of the Eastern final.

Indeed, the Panthers have got another game against the desperate Canadiens Tuesday, and they’ll also take on Ottawa (who they’re 1-1-0 against this season), the Detroit Red Wings twice (who they’re 0-1-0 aganst), the Buffalo Sabres (who they’re 2-1-0 against) and the Lightning (who they’re 2-1-0).

This is to say that it’s entirely possible the Panthers do not win the division and slide down as low as third place in the Atlantic. And given that Florida’s road record of 20-15-1 is worse than their home mark of 24-11-2, losing out on home-ice advantage could be the factor that ends their season well before they when they hope.

Can the Panthers win the Cup for the second straight season? Stranger things have happened. But this regular season has been far from perfect for Florida, and the way things shake out in the next two weeks could set the table for them being eliminated before they can get out of the second round. And if they do get sent packing prematurely, nobody should say it’s a full-on shocker.

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Jalen Brunson opens up about return from injury as Knicks' regular season winds down

Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson has been out since early March with an ankle injury, but the two-time All-Star and team captain is working his way back.

"I'm doing rehab stuff," he said before Sunday's 110-93 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. "More days, as of recently, have been just cranking it up -- two-a-days, if I have to. But whatever I can do to improve myself, it's what I'm doing."

Brunson said that he is "feeling better" and "progressing every day" while cleared for basketball activities.

"Realistically, I'm hoping to play before the playoffs," Brunson said. "I think that's as good for me to get some game reps before we got into that type of stretch run. But most importantly, I want to make sure I'm 100 percent healthy."

Starting with Tuesday's 7:30 p.m. tipoff against the Philadelphia 76ers, New York has eight regular-season games left.

"That's probably a conversation to where we can have with the medical team," Brunson said of if his plan is to wait until he feels fully healthy. "Obviously, I want to feel 100 percent. But a lot of this is also mental, just making sure I can trust everything I do. It's just a conversation for us to have."

Since Brunson's injury March 6 in the Knicks' 113-109 overtime loss at the Los Angeles Lakers, New York has gone 7-5.

"They've responded," Brunson said. "And there were nights where, obviously, we don't play well as a team but then the next day they respond. But that's all we can focus on.

"And there will be times and games and days where things won't go our way, but it's how do we respond from those moments and how do we get better, and I feel like they've progressed that way and I can't wait to join 'em."

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With Playoff Chances Crashing, Canucks End Road Trip With A 3–1 Loss To Winnipeg

Mar 30, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) skates around Winnipeg Jets left wing Brandon Tanev (73) in the second period at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

The stakes were high today as the Vancouver Canucks took on the Winnipeg Jets to round out their six-game road trip. With the St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames adding to their respective point totals on Saturday night, Vancouver entered today’s game needing to do the same to keep their playoff hopes alive. However, with Pius Suter scoring the lone goal for the Canucks, Vancouver ultimately fell 3–1. Thatcher Demko stopped 24 of 27 shots, but was unable to best Connor Hellebuyck’s .958 SV% on the night. 

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The penalty kill was tested quickly, with Aatu Räty taking a slashing penalty four minutes into the game. Only a minute later, Teddy Blueger was called for high-sticking, leaving Winnipeg with a two-man advantage for a minute. However, Vancouver managed to stand in the way of all the chances Winnipeg generated, killing both penalties and stopping the NHL’s second-best power play from scoring. Vancouver killed all of the three penalties they took today, bringing them up to 82.8% — good for third in the NHL. 

Demko was the Canucks’ best player early on yet again, making a massive blocker save during Vancouver’s first penalty kill of the game to keep the score 0–0. He faced nine Jets shots throughout the opening frame and remained sharp throughout the game, stopping a surprise deflection in the opening minute of the third period.  

Suter has been scorching as of late, tallying seven points in the past three games coming into today’s match. He ripped a fiery shot off the crossbar early into the first period and scored the game’s opening goal. Even with a lengthy offside review, Suter’s goal was deemed onside by a hair’s worth of distance. He finished the game with the highest TOI of all forwards, 21:04, as well as eight faceoff wins out of 20 taken. With the absence of Filip Chytil and Elias Pettersson, Suter has stepped up exceedingly when the team has needed him to. 

"He's taking a leadership role. He's one of the guys that has really stepped up for me, play him in all situations," Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet said postgame of Suter's play as of late. 

Speaking of goal reviews, there were two in today’s game. Suter’s goal review came as a result of a near-offside play. In the third period, a close stop by Demko looked like it could have crossed the Canucks’ goal line, but after a quick review, there was no clear angle that provided evidence of a Jets goal. 

Hits were a talking point in tonight’s game, as 12 players put up two or more hits. Kiefer Sherwood led the team with 10 hits, while Dakota Joshua and Derek Forbort had six. Drew O’Connor and Filip Hronek both had five, and Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, Elias Pettersson (D), and Filip Hronek all put up three. Vancouver finished the game with 50 hits in total. 

While the game may not have ended the way they’d wished it to, Vancouver certainly tried to get the results they wanted. Demko was sent to the bench with 4:40 left in the game, leaving the six Canucks on the ice to try and score two more goals to tie the game up. Despite preventing Winnipeg from grabbing an empty net goal, Vancouver took a too-many-men penalty with 1:20 left in the game to negate their chance at a comeback. 

Tocchet noted that he was "really proud of the guys" in today's effort, but that they were "just on the wrong side." He noted how they've "just got to worry about the next game." 

With the playoff window getting slimmer and slimmer with each game, it may only be a matter of time before the Canucks' postseason chances become dashed.  

Stats and Facts

  • Canucks playoff odds are now 15.5%, according to MoneyPuck.com 
  • Vancouver has not allowed a first-period goal in six straight games 
  • Pius Suter extends his point streak to eight points in four games 
  • Canucks surpass 50 hits in one game for the second time this season 

Scoring Summary:

1st Period: 

18:55 - VAN: Pius Suter (22) from Tyler Myers and Jake DeBrusk 

2nd Period: 

9:26 - WPG: Kyle Connor (38) from Mark Scheifele and Colin Miller 

3rd Period: 

6:24 - WPG: Mason Appleton (10) from Adam Lowry and Nikolaj Ehlers 

12:11 - WPG: Cole Perfetti (16) from Vladislav Namestnikov and Kyle Connor 

Up Next: 

With today concluding the Canucks’ six-game roadtrip, Vancouver sets their sights on a three-game homestand running throughout next week. They take on the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Arena on Wednesday, with puck drop expected at 7:30 pm PT. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

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How Kerr influenced Looney's first 3-pointer in four years vs. Spurs

How Kerr influenced Looney's first 3-pointer in four years vs. Spurs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Kevon Looney hadn’t hit a 3-pointer in over four years, but Warriors coach Steve Kerr saw an opportunity to end that drought during Golden State’s blowout 148-106 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at Frost Bank Center.

Following the game, Looney revealed Kerr specifically drew up a play with the intention of getting him open on the perimeter, an opportunity the Warriors big man couldn’t pass up.

“About time I got one up,” Looney jokingly told reporters after Sunday’s game. “Steve finally drew up a play for me, so I had to shoot it. He drew it up for me, he asked me, did I want one. I said, ‘Yeah.’

The Warriors’ bench’s reaction to Looney’s 3-pointer was as much of a spectacle as the play itself, with the Golden State big man’s teammates erupting after the triple splashed through the net.

However, Looney didn’t see his teammate’s jubilant reaction.

“I didn’t get to see it yet. I didn’t want to look, I wanted to act like I’ve been there before,” Looney said with a grin. “But it was fun, I worked hard enough on it all summer. I was planning on shooting more this year, but you know how the game goes. But I was able to get one up today and I made it, that’s all that matters.”

Looney wasn’t the only Warriors player finding success behind the arc, as Brandin Podziemski drilled a career-high seven triples on 7-of-9 shooting from deep.

Podziemski detailed why his Warriors teammates were so thrilled to see Looney’s triple go down.

“Amazing,” Podziemski said regarding Looney’s 3-pointer. We’ve been joking with him to shoot the three. To see him work on it when he plays 3-on-3 with the stay-ready group and for him to knock that down was pretty cool.”

The Warriors collectively shot 47.7 percent from deep in San Antonio, exactly the kind of lights-out shooting Golden State desperately needed heading into the final stretch of the 2024-25 NBA season.

With opposing defenses already having their hands full with Steph Curry, things could get spooky for the rest of the NBA if Looney continues raining 3-pointers at a 100-percent clip.

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5 players, 2 coaches ejected after Pistons-Timberwolves skirmish

5 players, 2 coaches ejected after Pistons-Timberwolves skirmish originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Five players and two coaches were ejected after a fight broke out in the second quarter in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ game against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.

Detroit lost head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, center Isaiah Stewart, forward Ron Holland II and guard Marcus Sasser. Minnesota forward Naz Reid and guard Dante DiVincenzo also were tossed, along with assistant coach Pablo Prigioni.

The skirmish began with 8:36 left in the half with the Pistons up 39-30. Stewart had received a technical foul just moments earlier when he bumped DiVincenzo hard after the whistle. Then Holland was called for a foul as he slapped the ball out of Reid’s hands near the baseline.

The two exchanged words, DiVincenzo stepped between them and grabbed Holland’s jersey, and soon all 10 players on the court and multiple coaches and trainers were part of the scrum.

As the players were being separated, Bickerstaff and Prigioni were screaming at each other and had to be separated by team personnel.

The whole scene played out just 20 feet from new Timberwolves owner Alex Rodriguez, who walked over from his courtside seat in the aftermath and appeared to call for assistance for a fan who got caught in the middle of the melee.

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3 observations after Sixers drop 23rd game in last 26

3 observations after Sixers drop 23rd game in last 26  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers’ draft lottery odds have certainly gotten a bit better during their latest losing streak.

That skid grew to eight games Sunday night with a 127-109 defeat to the Raptors at Wells Fargo Center. 

As things stand, the Sixers would have the fifth-best odds in the May 12 lottery. The team will retain its first-round pick in this year’s draft if it falls within the top six. 

Lonnie Walker IV led the 23-52 Sixers with 23 points and seven assists.

Ricky Council IV recorded 17 points and 11 rebounds. Jalen Hood-Schifino scored 18 points.

RJ Barrett had 31 points for the Raptors, who now sit at 28-47.

Both teams had a slew of players either injured or resting. The Sixers had only nine available players. 

Next up for the Sixers is a Tuesday night matchup with the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Here are observations on their loss to the Raptors:

Add another lineup to the list

Another night, another Sixers starting lineup. The team played its 51st starting five this season on Sunday: Jared Butler, Walker Justin Edwards, Council and Adem Bona. 

Fouls and turnovers were problematic in the first quarter. Edwards and Butler each got whistled for two early fouls and the Sixers committed the night’s first six turnovers. They threw quite a few off-target passes and gave Toronto regular opportunities to score in transition. 

Barrett was aggressive in his opening stint, scoring 10 points in under five minutes. An Ochai Agbaji three-pointer put the Raptors up 21-12. 

The Sixers then turned to a makeshift four-man second unit of Hood-Schifino, Marcus Bagley, Alex Reese and Phillip Wheeler. Hood-Schifino ended the first quarter on a sweet note when he sunk a step-back triple. 

Edwards cools off

The Sixers took a lot of tired-looking jumpers on the second night of their back-to-back. As a team, they started 2 for 14 from three-point range.

Edwards (12 points, seven rebounds, four assists) went 0 for 4.

Prior to Sunday, Edwards had scored at least 17 points in seven consecutive games. He’d also made at least one three-pointer in every game during that stretch and shot 50 percent beyond the arc (23 for 46).

Outside shooting was certainly not the Sixers’ sole issue in the second quarter. 

They were called for an eight-second violation in the final minute of the second quarter when Butler simply didn’t get the ball across half court in time. Ja’Kobe Walter’s tip-in just before the second-quarter buzzer sent the Raptors into halftime with a 63-49 lead. 

Sixers winning race to bottom

The Sixers fell behind by as many as 21 points early in the third quarter, but they made a run back into the game, cutting their deficit as low as six. 

Walker had some sharp moments generating his own offense. He also tossed a few creative assists, spotting open teammates off of his drives.  

Bona played a nice third quarter and overall game, too.

The rookie big man was again highly efficient, posting 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting and eight rebounds. He also blocked five shots, giving him 11 over his last three games. 

Ultimately, even the rebuilding Raptors clearly had more talent available than the Sixers.

They finished off a win without any fourth-quarter drama and the Sixers extended their “lead” over Toronto in the race to the bottom.

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WATCH: ‘Welcome Home Phillies' celebrates the team's home opener

WATCH: ‘Welcome Home Phillies' celebrates the team's home opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

We’ve already welcomed the Phillies back. Now it’s time to welcome them home.

The Phillies are scheduled to face off against the Colorado Rockies in their home opener at Citizens Bank Park on Monday at 3:05 p.m. ET. Before the game – which will air on NBC10 – we’re celebrating the home opener with our one-hour special, “Welcome Home Phillies.”

The show will feature live coverage of the parade of Phillies players into Citizens Bank Park, an introduction of the roster, the National Anthem and the ceremonial first pitches. Aside from the live coverage, the show will also feature the following special features:

Bryson Stott grants a wish

Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott made a “Make a Wish” Phillies fan’s dream come true during Spring Training. Only NBC10 was there for the special moment.

Cole Hamels’ new role

Phillies legend and new broadcaster Cole Hamels talks about his new role in the booth for select NBC Sports Philadelphia telecasts.

1-on-1 with Jimmy Rollins

Phillies legend and the team’s hits leader Jimmy Rollins speaks about this year’s squad and their World Series chances in an interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark.

1-on-1 with John Middleton

Phillies principal owner John Middleton talks about this year’s team in an exclusive interview.

Watch “Welcome Home Phillies” on NBC10, NBC10’s streaming channel and in the video embedded above on Monday, March 31, at 2 p.m. ET. After the special, be sure to watch the Phillies home opener against the Colorado Rockies on NBC10 at 3 p.m. ET!

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Podz joins Steph in Warriors history after 3-point flurry vs. Spurs

Podz joins Steph in Warriors history after 3-point flurry vs. Spurs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

In the Warriors’ 148-106 blowout win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at Frost Bank Center, Golden State guard Brandin Podziemski channeled his inner Steph Curry. 

The 22-year-old rehearsed it so well that he wrote his name under Curry’s in the franchise’s record books. 

Podziemski became the second-youngest Warrior to record at least seven 3-pointers in a game.

Back in the 2009-10 NBA season, in what was his rookie year, Curry set the record at 21 years of age after scoring seven 3-pointers against the Los Angeles Clippers.

On Sunday night, Podziemski finished with 27 points to go with six rebounds and five assists, falling just two points shy of his career high. His seven threes set a new career high, however.

Outside of Podziemski and Curry, the only other Warrior under the age of 23 to have scored at least seven threes in a game is Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole, who did it on five occasions. 

Behind Podziemski’s impact from deep, the Warriors now have a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference with eight regular-season games remaining. 

With the stakes rising for the Warriors, perhaps there’s no better time for Golden State players to channel their inner Curry.

Podziemski sure did that.

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WBS Penguins Lose 5-2, Split Weekend Series With Checkers

Image courtesy of the @WBSPenguins X account.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins' quest for 40 wins will have to wait another day, as the Charlotte Checkers avenged a 5-3 loss on Saturday by returning the favor in Sunday's rematch with a 5-2 victory.

In a completely different performance from their victory on Saturday, the Penguins were outshot in every period and failed to score on four power-play opportunities, leading to Sergei Murashov's first AHL defeat. 

The rookie goalie was a perfect 11-0-0 entering the afternoon and finished the day with 32 saves on 35 shots as the Checkers scored two empty net goals at 18:01 and 18:52 of the third. 

WBS Penguins Can Snap Organization Playoff Winless StreakWBS Penguins Can Snap Organization Playoff Winless StreakThe Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins punched their ticket to the Calder Cup playoffs on Wednesday with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over the Hartford Wolf Pack. 

Earlier, in the first, Charlotte jumped out 2-0 with goals from Matt Kiersted and former Penguins player Jesse Puljujarvi scoring the other. 

Atley Calvert's sixth of the year cut the deficit to 2-1 in the middle period before Valtteri Puustinen scored at 1:38 of the third to tie things up at 2-2. 

However, John Leonard scored a power-play goal at 3:47 before scoring the first empty goal for his second of the day, earning first-star honors. 

Kaapo Kahkonen picked up the win for the home team, turning away 24 shots and surrendering only two goals to improve to 5-2-0 since joining the Checkers. 

Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesPittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winding down their 2024-25 season and on pace to miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season, a first in Sidney Crosby's 20-year career. However, there is plenty to play for in the final weeks of the regular season. 

The Penguins (37-19-7-1) return to action on April 4 when they travel to Cleveland to face the Monsters for a Friday and Saturday set.

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Penguins V. Senators Preview: Koivunen Makes NHL Debut

Mar 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Ville Koivunen (41) takes the ice for his rookie lap before making his NHL debut against the Ottawa Senators at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

The kids are officially here, and they will play a large role in Sunday's lineup for the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Forwards Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen - recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) on Friday - will both figure into the starting lineup when the Penguins take on the Ottawa Senators Sunday in Pittsburgh. And not only will they crack the lineup sheet, they will also occupy the two left wing slots in the top-six.

It will be McGroarty's fourth NHL game - he made the team out of training camp and was optioned back to WBS after three games - as well as his 21st birthday.

As for Koivunen? The 21-year-old Finnish winger - acquired in the Jake Guentzel trade last spring - will make his NHL debut, which is something he's been anticipating for quite some time.

"I've got to play with my strengths and make an impact right away on this team," Koivunen said.

Koivunen will play on Rickard Rakell's left wing on the second line, while McGroarty will flank Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust on the top line. The decision to slot both wingers in the top-six was evident at Saturday's practice, and head coach Mike Sullivan wanted to put them in positions to succeed.

'Sid and the Kids': McGroarty, Koivunen Skate With Crosby, Top-Six In Practice'Sid and the Kids': McGroarty, Koivunen Skate With Crosby, Top-Six In PracticeSid the Kid may have broken a major Wayne Gretzky record in the Pittsburgh Penguins' 7-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.

“When you have players of this caliber, you're trying to set them up for success," Sullivan said. "And we're also trying to put them in roles where they have an opportunity to play to their strengths. Both of these guys have high hockey-IQs, they're both real competitive guys, they both have an offensive dimension to their game... they're different in how they play, but we think that with the combinations we had out there today, potentially, they could be complementary on the lines that they're on."

Goaltender Tristan Jarry will get the start for the Penguins. Here is the rest of the starting lineup:

Ottawa currently occupies the first wild card spot in the East and is 7-3-0 in its last 10, including two straight wins. Center Tim Stutzle is pacing the club with 21 goals and 71 points in 72 games.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!        

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Francesco Bagnaia wins Americas Grand Prix after Marc Márquez crash

  • Marquez crashes while leading race
  • Álex Márquez tops riders’ championship

Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia won a chaotic Americas Grand Prix ahead of Gresini Racing’s Álex Márquez on Sunday after Marc Márquez crashed halfway through the race while leading, losing for the first time this season.

Marc Márquez had clinched pole position in qualifying as well as a third straight sprint victory on Saturday, but after a first crash on the red Ducati, the six-times MotoGP champion opted to retire due to extensive damage on his bike.

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